In Our Mad and Furious City (2018) by Guy Gunaratne

 Hamish’s choices

Theme: *No theme*

READ: In Our Mad and Furious City (2018) by Guy Gunaratne

WATCH: Wonderland (1999) dir by Michael Winterbottom

Thursday 9th February 2023 @ 7:45 pm

Sadly Hamish was not able to witness what went down first hand, preferring to take a spontaneous ski trip so he sent his musings in via the email

In Our Mad and Furious City by Guy Gunaratne explores immigration, racism, intolerance and extremism. Its multi perspective, multi narrative novel takes place over two days and focuses on three young men - Selvon, Ardan and Yusuf - who live in a London estate in Neasden during a summer of unrest. 

Two other narratives, which ultimately tie in with the three central characters, both serve to remind us that religious conflict and intolerance is nothing new 

In Our Mad and Furious City (2018) by Guy Gunaratne

Hamish: Really sorry I can't be with the wonderful HBG. Frankly though, whilst I love you all deeply, I love skiing more!

So, I am endlessly fascinated by language, both foreign and, in the way it is evolving, English. Having a teenager at home using similar language is fascinating. Swear down. Bare. Allow it. Mandem. Nuttan. Great phrases that are changing the way we communicate. I love the way youth tries to alienate the elders! Rees-Mogg must be horrified, no time for an Oxford comma here. It is a bit fraught with misappropriation danger, particularly by teenage boy roadmen, but I genuinely think English is evolving in interesting ways. Hopefully concurrently with increasing integration of people from different backgrounds.

I read Gabriel Krauze's Who They Was a while back. An excellent semi-autobiographical novel about gangs and estates in London. Far more crime driven than the current book, but both books were referred to in an article I read. Which led to our mad and furious capital city.

Whilst Selvon, Yoos and Ardan speak like Krauze's gang members, this book is a far more positive take on community and love. Without labouring the point, Guy quietly shows how integration between different ethnic communities has happened, perhaps particularly in London. The football scene was great.  The contrast between the quiet respect and friendship of the early parts with the minority extremism of later parts was striking.

The three lads are close, respectful of each other and share a lot, but keep their distance in certain ways too. I thought Guy captured their male teenage relationships very convincingly. As well as capturing language and phrasing brilliantly, Guy also evoked the edginess and tension of the urban environment that they inhabit.

We have had a few books recently with pleasing bite sized chapters. Perfect for a bedtime read. This time the distinction was switching from one character to another. Not only did I enjoy the switches around the different characters, but the gradual reveal of the family links was great too. 

Nelson and Caroline were both convincing characters who added an extra dimension. Indeed the juxtaposition of the youth with the older generation, Windrush and Northern Ireland worked really well. It really demonstrated how troubled times percolate through the ages and, I guess, both how life goes on and also how bad things always happen.

One slight criticism is I found the trigger of the killing of a soldier a little odd. It was too clearly based on Lee Rigby and yet without being Lee Rigby. Seemed a bit odd.

As a book group discussion, I suspect it will probably be more for the themes of London, diversity, community, immigration, estates and, as the author writes at the end, the power of love, than any widely diverging views on whether the book is any good. Though there's always Keith and Roland to shake things up!

I'll stop wittering on now. Hopefully you'll have a great evening. Look forward to hearing about it.

So what about the rest of us?

Nick was reminded of Capital by John Lanchester. He acknowledged the ambition but dubbed it “a miss” that meandered and lacked authenticity

Roland also acknowledged the book’s promise but, despite the best sex scene in his time with HBG, said it didn’t work

Robin - irritated 

Keith was more positive and found plenty to love

Robin found it irritating and had nothing else to say apart from that it could have been 12 times better

Tristan, vexed by the negativity and luke warm reaction, would not allow it. “You’re all wrong ennet” he exclaimed. All the characters are nuanced and convincing before going on to rhapsodise about the book’s many merits. The use of language convinced and perfectly captured London street life.

Nigel kept the love and positivity going having wondered if we’d been reading the same novel. He described In Our Mad and Furious City as a satisfying and powerful London novel about youth culture. 

Although published before these books, In Our Mad and Furious City by Guy Gunaratne reminded Nigel of both Who They Was by Gabriel Krauze and The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong - also both excellent.

Nick 6 / Tristan 7.5 / Nigel 8 / Keith 7  / Roland 6 / Robin 3 / Hamish 9

*

WATCH: Wonderland (1999) dir by Michael Winterbottom

Hamish: Middling for me unfortunately. Enjoyable and fairly engrossing watch and like the book, it did capture something of London's grit and reality. The late night scenes were really reminiscent for me of the time I lived in London. The story and characters were convincing. I do like John Simm (pre his descent into crappie detective stories) and Gina McKee

Mike Leighesque, but not quite as good. The plot convinced, but wasn't as interesting as I'd hoped. I enjoyed the positive ending after a fairly bleak story.

Everyone else...

To varying degrees most of us (except Roland) agreed it was a solid if downbeat film that provided an interesting and convincing snapshot of late 1990s London which felt from a totally different age. The London streets scenes are probably the best thing about it: a Crystal Palace home match, various cafes and pubs, a South East London estate etc. 

Some of us felt Michael Nyman's inappropriate romantic soundtrack felt out of place. So, whilst an interesting watch, it's also a wasted opportunity given the talent involved.

Roland on the other hand was transfixed. He has a major crush on Gina McKee which helped but he also lauded every aspect of a masterly work of cinema

Nick 6 / Tristan 3 / Nigel 6 / Keith  -  / Roland 9 / Robin 7 / Hamish 7

*

Endorse it: 5 January 2023 -> 9 February 2023

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